How Much Does a Swissy Cost?

﻿One of the first questions asked by those inquiring about Swissies is "how much do they cost?".Many prospective Swissy owners are put off by what they feel are exorbitant purchase prices for Swissy puppies when the fact is the average purchase price for a quality Swissy puppy is a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of basic care for one of these dogs over its lifetime -- and that is if the dog remains healthy.Before committing to a puppy, please consider all the FACTS and be sure you are prepared financially for a lifetime of caring for a Swissy. Even if your dog is healthy for its entire life, basic expenses add up and may be more than you expected. It is crucial, for example, to feed a high quality grain free food, which is a lot more expensive than many name brands full of fillers which pose a high risk for GDV (Bloat).Cutting expenses by feeding cheap food, will likely end up costing you more..... in vet bills.If your dog ever develops a serious health condition which requires hospitalization, surgery and medication (for an indefinite period), it will cost you thousands of dollars. It is important to know this BEFORE you commit to a puppy. Never assume that getting a dog from a reputable breeder is a guarantee that the dog will never have a health problem. It is more than likely that your dog will develop some sort of health problem during its life, ranging from very minor (urinary tract infection) to serious (epilepsy or degenerative spine issue). It is crucial that prospective Swissy owners understand and are prepared for these costs. A good pet health insurance policy is a great investment. You hope you will never need it but in the worst case scenario, having a good insurance plan could save you thousands of dollars which otherwise you would pay out of pocket.Supplements, annual check ups and vaccinations, costs of training, health insurance and care such as dog walkers, should all be considered before you commit to a puppy.Owning a dog is a big commitment and a big expense. Unfortunately, many dogs of all breeds end up in Rescue or Shelters because their owners realize after the fact, that they cannot afford basic care, never mind emergency care if there is a major health problem involving diagnostics or surgery and long term rehab. Others choose not to enroll in a health insurance plan and find themselves having to make the heartbreaking decision to euthanize their beloved pet because they cannot pay the exorbitant cost of treatment when it develops and unforeseen condition (like cancer). This is why I strongly recommend and give cash incentives to owners who invest in a health insurance policy for their puppyf you cannot afford $6000 <typical cost for an emergency GDV or spleen surgery > and/or do not want to spend the money on a health insurance plan ($70/month), then you should wait before adding a GSMD to your household or seriously consider adopting a puppy/dog from a shelter or breed rescue group.

Please do the right thing for yourself and the breed by considering all of these issues and making an INFORMED decision.

If you are thinking of adding a Swissy to your family, I strongly urge you to read the following articles in order to gain a better perspective on this wonderful breed.

These articles were written by dedicated, long time Swissy owners and describe the REALITIES of Swissy ownership , not just more hype touting the GSMD as the "ideal family dog".The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is a WONDERFUL breed but it is not for everyone!Swissies vary in size, energy level and temperament and can be challenging for the first time dog owner or even those who haven't had experience with large WORKING Group breeds.Many breeders will not mention the challenges of Swissy ownership because they are only interested in selling you a puppy. If you are a family busy with a lot of young children or a first time dog owner, you might want to consider adopting an adult Swissy. Adopting an older puppy or an adult has proven to be a wonderful compromise for those who want a Swissy but may not want to deal with the challenges that come with a puppy.Contact the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog Rescue Foundation if you are interested in older dogs available for adoption. Breeders sometimes have older puppies or adults available for placement. You should of course ask why the breeder is placing the older dog and also ask about health and behavioral problems.In addition to reading the articles linked above, I strongly urge you to meet as many Swissies as possible before you commit to a puppy.You can't possibly know if you are well suited for GSMD ownership if you have never met a GSMD in person!Information from books, television or the internet should never be a substitute to meeting the dogs and talking with experienced owners and breeders in person. Please become familiar with the common health problems affecting the breed. Be aware that even if you get a dog from a reputable breeder from healthy lines, your beloved dog could s﻿till develop a condition for which you need to be both financially and emotionally prepared.

ONCE AGAIN, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do yourself a favor by taking the time to VERIFY HEALTH CLEARANCES from ANY breeder. Do not assume anything and do not be intimidated to ask about missing clearances. Breeders who are truly reputable and really CARE about health issues will prove this by having links to health clearances on their websites and but telling you of any problems in their lines. You should be very wary of anyone who claims to have dogs free of any health problems. If clearances are missing, it means they have not been done or they failed and the breeder did not give permission to disclose failing results. Sadly, most breeders (in all breeds) will only publish passing results. This does not help the breed as a whole and is very misleading to the public. Failure to comply with full transparency re health clearances of breeding stock is a ubiquitous problem caused by ego and greed. This excellent blog entry from Dog Snobs addresses the subject of breeders who do not comply with full disclosure.

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